U.S. Information Agency, International Broadcasting Bureau, Office of Personnel and Administration, Contracts and Procurement Division, B/PA/AC, Room 1645, 330 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, DC 20547

R -- ENGLISH TEACHING SERVICE SOL n/a POC Contact Point/Contracting Officer: Claudette Swann, B/VOA/F, Phone: (202) 619-1405; Fax: (202) 619-1840. Technical POC: Eugene Nojek, B/VOA/F, Phone: (202) 619-1752. This public notice is also a written Request for Quotation (RFQ) pursuant to procurement of the required services described below using the "Simplified Acquisition Procedures" specified in Part 13 of the Federal Acquisition (FAR). Price quotations submitted in response to this RFQ that exceed the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (as specified in FAR Subpart 2.101, Definitions) will not be considered as responsive to this RFQ. The USIA International Broadcasting Bureau's Voice of America, the Government's international radio broadcasting organization, broadcasts to an international audience in English and over 50 other languages. B/VOA has a requirement, subject to the availability of funds, for an individual or company to provide the following services: (1) one or more English teaching course(s) for radio broadcasts; or (2) a qualified writer/ producer to prepare English teaching course(s) on a free-lance assignment basis. Submissions for above Items 1 and 2 shall include a Statement of Work (SOW) in outline form of English teaching programs that includes: a sequence of the course(s), what will be taught in each lesson, what vocabulary will be taught, and what will be accomplished in each lesson. Each quoter shall submit their proposal for twenty-six (26) weeks of radio scripts and produced tapes, three programs per week, which will introduce English to a non-English speaking audience. These courses shall be either at the "Beginning" or "Intermediate" level of English, and they shall include imaginative teaching methods such as music or games. Each program shall be approximately 24 minutes long, and it can be presented in segments. All programs and scripts shall contain dialogues and exercises, music and sound effects where appropriate, and support materials such as worksheets and scripts. Each series shall incorporate information about U.S. life and culture. The following technical criteria will be used to evaluate prospective contractors: a) Demonstrated expertise in developing and writing basic American English teaching programs for non-English speaking audiences; b) Demonstrated experience in developing a successful basic English teaching course; and c) An extensive background in teaching English as a second language. The quoter's written information submitted to the IBB Contracting Officer that addresses each of the three above-stated and equally-weighted technical criteria is, when taken collectively, of significantly greater weight than the quoter's total price. Additional information regarding this proposed firm-fixed-price Purchase Order contract is as follows: 1) Teaching assignments are performed on a contract basis (i.e., contractor employees are not U.S. Govern-ment employees); 2) Teaching materials can be produced at any contractor location, but they shall be delivered toB/VOA/F in Washington, DC; and 3) The Government can physically inspect all Contractor work to insure that it satisfies the Government's technical requirements per the Government approved SOW. Please note that the Government will reject all work that fails to meet the Government's requirements per the approved SOW that is prepared by the Contractor for each English course. Individuals or firms interested in and having the ability to furnish either of the above-stated English teaching services shall submit, via either facsimile or mail, their responses to this RFQ (i.e., Technical Capabilities/Experience and Price quotation in U.S. dollars) to the USIA International Broadcasting Bureau, Voice of America, East Asia Division, B/VOA/F, Room 2708, 330 Independence Avenue (SW), Washington, DC 20547, ATTN: Ms. Claudette Swann, Fax: (202) 619-1840 by the close of business (5 p.m. EST), Friday, August 28, 1998. Any questions (technical or otherwise) and the quoter's complete written response to this RFQ shall be sent directly and only to the Contracting Officer for this procurement. Prospective Contractors will be evaluated by the Government using the above-stated technical and price criteria. Teaching fee/rate requirements shall also be submitted with the Price quotation, but they are negotiable based upon the individual's or the organization's experience, background, and other qualifications as specified above. Per FAR Subpart 19.502 (Setting Aside Acquisitions), the Contracting Officer has determined that this proposed work is appropriate for an "unrestricted" procurement. All responsible sources may submit a quotation which will be considered. Posted 08/06/98 (W-SN233621). (0218)

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